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OC, FC: Not the same thing

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Because original character and fan character isn´t the same thing!

First off this isn´t anti fan characters stamp neither anti original characters. I just want to say that these two terms doesn´t mean the same.

Apples and cherries are both fruits. They look different, they taste different but they still both fruits. So if you can see different between apples and cherries then why you can´t see different between original characters (aka OCs) and fan characters (aka FCs). They are both your own characters, they may have something in common, but they are two different types of characters!

Orignal character is a character which is completely created by you. And by completely I mean also whole backstory, their world, universe, other character in their story. They exist without any links to an existing book, tv show, manga, game,...

Fan character is a character which you created for an already existing universe. You create them because you are a fan. These characters are sill yours and they may be as original as completely original character but they must fallow the rules of universe they are in because you haven´t created the world and other characters around them.

That´s it. You don´t have a Naruto OC. You have a Naruto FC!

Really, no one is saying that fc characters can´t be original or that oc must be automatically the most original thing in the world. No! Differences between them doesn´t have much to do with originality.
I´ve always thought that the term original character was originally used to differ your own characters from fan art and other people´s characters. But then some people started to use this term also for their FCs (maybe they thought that it will automatically make them more original) and sudenly there was a mess.
Personally I think the best way to call them is just your own characters because they both are, just like apples and cherries are both fruits. But it is also important to specify which kind of character they are just like when you are asking for apples you don´t say that you want just fruits, do you? And terms OCs and FCs are commonly used and almost everybody know what they mean so I think that it is the best way how to call your character. Of course if you don´t like it you don´t have to BUT please poeple specify that your character is for some show, book, comics,... at the beginnig! I´m really tired when I find out that an OC is actually FC for some show I don´t even know.

I will be glad if you will use this if you agree with this saying :) I know it is not the best stamp ever, it is actually my very first stamp, so I hope you don´t find it that horrible ^^; You don´t have to fave it but I will be really glad if you comment here if you use it.

EDIT: After doing more research I now know that the term "OC" was first used for original characters in fanfiction and only later the term "FC" was invented to distinguish between original and fan characters. As I said, I don´t care which terminology you use as long as you clearly state if your work is a fan art, based on another work or your own idea (it is pretty obvious anyway that even if you decide to call your own character in a Naruto fan fic that you do not own Naruto manga :D) Personally, I choose to use this therminology because I think that it has been around for a long time and most people understand it without any misunderstandings. Although the etymology of the world may say otherwise, it doesn´t mean that the things didn´t change since then. People have been using the term "OC" for their completely original characters for years (especially on this site) so I don´t see a reason to not use it (it is just my personal opinion as I said). This stamp was never aimed towards people who decide to use other terms for their characters, but towards those who do not ever bother to state the simple fact if they characters belong to some fanverse or not. So peace everyone peace sign 

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leesydreamy's avatar

I've always used the term ocs for my fan characters but this makes sense. Although I have my own series based around characters established from different games, shows, etc. Aka, the tooniverse(Gameopia for the video game world), they're still fan characters who interact with the already established characters from the games. I do have actual ocs though, from an original story I came up with, cartoon princess.